Explosive device.



T. S MI'.LER.

EXFLOSWE DEUCE.

APPLICATION um) MAR. 1'1. i916.

1,236,736. 7 Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

5' 2 SHEETS SHEET \NVENTOH WITN f2) BY w m 1 r ATTORNEY T. S. MILLER.EXPLOSIVE DEVICE APPLICATION HLED MAR. 11. l9l6..

Patented Aug. 14, 1917 2 SHEET5-SHEET 2.

INVENTOH ATTORNEY WITN 'SSES 'rnomss s. MILLER, or orrnuwa, IOWA.

EXPLOSIVE msvrciz.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Application filed March 17, 1910. Serial m. 84,878.

To all whom itm'ay concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs-S'. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at ()ttumwa, in the county ofWapello and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Explosive Dcvices, of which the following is aspecification.

An object of my invention is to provide an explosive device consistingof a shell or case having one or several elongated bores packedwithalternatelyarranged charges of shot or slugs and explosives, togetherwith a fuse to extend from the exterior of the shell or case to ignitethe explosive charges in versely in the order in which they are packedwithin the bores to'cause the charges of shot or slugs to besuccessively discharged from the shell, and which device is soconstructed that it may be used in warfareas a projectile 'of .theshrapnel 'typeby being shot or otherwise projected over and beyond afortification or other barrier after the fuse has been ignitedand whichwill, after striking behind the fortification or barrier discharge theseparate charges of shot or slugs successively baclgwardly or againstthe rear side of the fortification or b'arrier, or'which may be plantedin theearth in an inclined relation withthe fuseignited, when a retreatis to be made, thus arranging the device in such relation that thecharges of shot or slugs will be successively discharged from the shelland directed against a person or a. body of persons advancing toward theretreating parties.

A further object is to so construct and form the device that the variousexplosive charges will be fired in the proper intervals and succession,and that'when a plurality ofbores having the alternately arrangedexplosivc and shot or slug charges therein is used, the charges'in thefired in the proper succession.

WVith the above and other objects in View,

my invention-consists in certain novel features of construction andcombination of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in cr'mncctionwith the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the irawingss Figure is a v iew in longitudinal section showing oneembodiment of my invention, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showingaslightly rnodified form of the device.

several bores. will be Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing avaried form of the device.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the inner end of a devicesimilar to that disclosed in Fig. 3, modified'in form.

In the form of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shell 1 has acentral bore 2 made of reasonably thin, however it is not a primaryobject of the construction that the device shall burst when theexplosive charges are ignited, and this wall is given sufficientstrength to withstand the force of the various explosions causing theshot or slugs to be discharged from the shell.

outer end as at 3, and the inner end ofthe adaptation in Fig. 1, isturned down at its extreme end and made of slightly less diameter, thispart of lesser diameter being provided with screw-threads as at {1, anda. cap 5 being provided with internal scrcwthreads on the flange or rim6 thereof to be received over the threads 4. By mounting the cap 5 asabove stated, the inner end of the shell is closed and as the threadsare made of fine gage, the force sion in the shell, as'will behereinafter set forth more at length, will cause the cap be displacedfrom-the shell and will thus leave the inner end of the shell open.

The cap 5 is provided with a central bore 7 which is adapted to receivethe fuse 8 which is passed therethrough, this opening 7, beingpreferably centrally disposed to permit cap 5 to beturned onto thescrewthreads 4 and to prevent twisting of the fuse Sduring thisoperation. This fuse 8 is extended down into the bore 2 of the shell 1and is preferably brought to bear against the side wall thereof, thusestablishing a direct line through which the fire will be carried fromthe exterior of the shell with the cap in place, to the extremeinnermost end of the bore 2 of the shell.

A charge of powder indicated at 9 is placed in the inner end of thebox-o2 and suitable wads l0 and a ropcr packing indiratcd at 11, whichpac ing might be clay many other material which will establish a tightconnection around the fuse 8 and certain of the parts beingof theexplosuliicient size that the wall is This shell or casing 1 ispreferably made pointed at its will-stop all eomi'nunication to thecharge at 9 except through the fuse 8. I A wad 12 isthen placed over thepacking layer 11 and a charge of shot or slugs 13 is loaded in the shellupon the wad 12. after which a wad 14 is inserted in the bore to coverthe. shot and another charge of powder or explosive mixture as indicatedat 15 is placed on this wad '14 after which the wadding and {packing isrepeated. \Vhile any number explosive charges and charges of shot orslugs might be; placed in the shell, in the present: instance I haveshown three charges of powder indicated at t5, and

'1 ll, and the. shot or slug charges as indicated I at 13, 17. and 18,are placed upon these explosive charges after the bore has been suitablywadded and packed to establish the proper fireproof joint or wall. The

.fnse S is made of sutlieient length to extend well down into the bodyoi the charge 0 whiehis the first charge to hev placed in the bore 52,and thus it is assured that this charge will be ignited. and asthe fuseex tends direetlv through the explosive charges at 15 and 16, the sparkl'roni tin-fuse will cause the proper ignition and explosion of thesecharges. It will of course be. understood that the length (it the. fuse8 above the last layer-of packing and wailding placed in the bore torover the explosive charge 16 will be governed by the length of time itis desired to have. elapse between the initial ignition ol' the fuse Hand the tiring ol' the charge ltl. hlul it found advisable this fuse 8might. be made'ot a greater length than would l e ret uired to traversethe length of the bore 2 and the ex ess length will then be rolled onthe wad If covering the last charge ot shot or slugs. threap .5 coveringthis tt'tlll'tl ltlltl'tll of the fuse and protecting the same againstthe llame l'rom the explo-' sion ot' the tiring charge when the deviceis u ed as a projta-tile to be discharged l'rom a gun. size that whenthe extreme outer end (it the -l'u b" is pulled theretlirollgh. atightjoint. is established. and the wads ltl and l! as pla ed ver thepowder andthe wad H as placed above the shotaale liotelied at one sideto rereive'the l'u the parking at It acting to establish a tight jointaround the fuse 'tlllll iil'tillll l the inner wall l' the bore :2.

in making this tlt \lt't' the explosive charge St is inserted and thewad lt) is then placed in the bore '3 with the notched opening tittedaround the (use 5 whi h l'usc is in a position ol lax-lying again-st ones'ide of .the bore with the l|)l('l" end extendin" P1 through the openinner end of the shell,

and this. wad It) is then tauipetl down against the powder-al'ler whichthe packing l! which is. as has hereinhei'ore been stated, preferably ofclay in a plastic state or of other plastic and tire. resisting materialis The opening T is made of such :1.

placed over the Wad 10 and is properly of the fuse 8 is rolled withinthe shell 1 km top of this wad 19 'and after the end of the fuse hasbeen passial through the open-- h1g7 through the cap 5. this cap isscrewed onto the threads 4, thus closing the bore. 2' at its inner endand completing the device.

In use, this device. may be used as a pro jectile to be discharged froma gun. or otherwise thrown over and beyond a fortification, hill orother artificial or natural barrier. and to give the. projectile properinitial movement. the gun may be loaded and fired in the usual way, thehand Qt) being mounted around the inner end of the. shell 1 to cause theprojectile to follow the rifling of the gun barrel. .\s the explosivecharge of the 'gun is ignited. this tlame will come in contact with the.protruding elul oi the tits: 3 and will ignite the same. or this fusemight be given initial ignition het'oreheing placed in the gun. and thenwhen the fuse has burned through the outer end o'l'v its length and has.passed through the wad 19, the charge of shot or slugs at la. and thewads and packingabove the explosive charge at. 16, the sparks from theburning fuse will ignite the explosive charge at Hi and in consequencethis charge will be tired and will cause the wad and packing belowthecharge of shot orslugs at. 18 to impel these shot or slugslau'kwardlv through the rear end of the shell 1. blowing oil the cap 5by strim'iiug the threads 4, after which the shot or slugs will spread.The fuse S continues to lun-n. through the shot, charge at. H andthrough the wads and packing above. the explosive charge at '15 and thenwhen the sparks ignite the explosive charge '15. the shot charge at. 17will he fired back through the. open end of the shell 1, and this sameaction will continue. until the last charge in the shell.. ortheexplosiveeharge first placed therein in the filling operation has beenigi'iitett- When this device is to be tired as .a projeetile from a gun.It will he shot beyond the hues III which the shot; or slugs are to takePia-n and'then as the fuse is burns down into llt) in falling describesa gradual are, this end 3 will penetrate the ground and will hold theshell inclined upwardly and backwardly in the direction from which itcame so that the discharge of the shot or slugs will. be in the properline to strike a person or persons concealed behind th barrier overwhich the projectile "has been led, also if deemed .desirable, theexplosive charge at 9 might be made suflieiently heavy to give astronger explosion which would burst the shell 1 while at the same timedischarging the shot charge at 13, and in this way the shell 1 is niadeto serve not only as a container for the shot and explosive charges, butalso'will. be thrown in fragments and s linters in every direction whenthe final bursting occurs. The device might also be used by a retreatingarmy by being planted in the ground from which the retreat is to be madein a position of upward and jorward inclination opposite direction.

and then the inset; can be lighted and when the ,fuse has burned to,ignite the explosive charges in the shell, the shot charges will bedischarged therefrom, and thus the suc ceesive charges will he fired atan advancing person or line of persons while the party who has ignitedthe fuse is retreating 1n the In the form of the device shown in Fi 2,the parts are substantiallyidentical wit the exception of the fact thatthe inner end oftheshell or case .1 is extended to have slightly greaterlength beyond the mounting of the lwa djfi and this extended portion asindicated at 21, is made ofuniform thick ness andle'ft sinooth both oniits exterior surface {tl'idjlt the internal here. The fuse 8 isbrought-up againsttheinner wall of the bore 2 of the/shell toexteiid'through the operfend a wood plug 22 having a groovefolrmeixalong one side thereof is fitted in l e' open 'end of the shellwith-the 'eceived in the groove-23 and then thisplHg-QFZ is forced intothe open endo'f the shell te -close the same, and gives elasticity jjt'oestablish a tight connection around tli'.e" iuse 8.; This forni 013 thedevice will be loaded and will operate in the samemain nor ashereinbefore set forth.

In the form ofthe'dev ice shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, a central bore 24,of relatively small size is provided in the shell or casing 25 and. thebores-26 are formed to extend from the inner end of the shell 25inwardly tl'ierein point adjacent the pointed end 27, these fi'ores 26being preferably concentrieall y arranged around thebore 24. As shown inFig. 3, the bore 24 is preferably cylindrical andxthe bores 26 aretapered to spread from thei' nner ends outwardly.

it is preferable that an e ual number of bores 26 be spaced around t ecentral. bore 2t and counterbbres are formed through the shell or casing to pass diametrically there into through the walls separating thebores 26 from the bore 24, thus establishing spark leads 28 from thecentral bore 24 to each of the peripherally arranged bores 26. Asillustrated in Fig. 3,,it is preferable that these counterhm'es beprovided at several points along the length of the shell 25 so that thefire leads 28 will be provided in line with the points where theexplosive charges are filled into the several bores. Ashas been stated,these bores forming the fire or spark leads28 are started from theexterior of the shell and the o 'ienings throl'lgh the outer walls areclosed'by the screw-flu'eaded plu s 29, or in. any other suitablemanner. n loading the shell, the fuse 30 is placed in the central bore24 to extend down along the side wall thereof and the explosive charges,the wads and packing, and the shot or slug charges are filled into thebores 21 and 26 in the manner described in connection with the form ofthe device shown in Fig. 1. it of course being understood that theexplosive charges are placed in the same relative arrangement in thevarious bores and are so positioned that the filc or spark leads 28 willestablish comnluni'cation from .lhe central bore 24 in those portions inwhich thcexplosivc charges are. packed to thesame relative portion ofeach of the bores 26. Plugs 31 and 32 are fitted in the open ends of thehorn 24 and the bores 26, it of course being understood that the plug3'1. is grooved to receive the fuse30, and thus the open ends of theseseveral bores are closed to pernnt the device I to be fitted in a gunand discharged as a probores 26 are ta )e1'ed,the sliot charges prosected therethrough will be spread to cover a considerable area, also,-if'desired,the ex- .plosive charges in the various bores can be variedto cause the shot charges to be carried to greater or a lesser distancesas desired, and in this way the device will be constructed-to stillfurther scatter the shot, as discharged therefrom. As the plugs 29 areset rigidly inthe metal of the casing or shell 25, theseplugs will not,be readily blown out and the shell will present each of the boresthereof as a continuous and unbroken path for the discharge of eachsuccessive charge of shot 'or'slugs, l1OWGVGI',if 'de sired, the extremeinner end' of the bore 24 may be loaded with a charge of a highexplosive which will burst the shell and throw the same in fragments. i

In Fi 5, the structure is identical with that disc osed in Figs. 3 and4, and here the 5 Open ends of the bores 24 and 26 are internallyscrew-threaded, the plugs 33 and 34; being screw-threaded to be receivedin these screw-threaded open ends to close the same.

, The plu 33 recelved in the open end of the bore 24 as a centralorifice or passage 35 therethrough and a fuse 36 is received throu hthis passage, it being preferable that his fuse 36 be extended down intothe bore 24 centrally thereof, and the passage 35 being centrally boredin the plug so that as the plug is turned into the screw-threaded end ofthe bore 24, this fuse will not be twisted. The screw-threads of boththe bores and'thc plugs will necessarily be of reasonably fine pitch andthus as the first charge is fired, these plugs will be blown out and atthe same time the shot or slug char es' will. be fired from the device.

W ile I have herein shown and described only s ecific forms of myinvention, it will be un erstood that'the caps or plugs closing the endsof-hores might be varied in their form and mounting as well as in thematerial from which the same are constructed, that various other packingmaterials than those mentioned might be used, that any number of borescan be formed in the shell or casing, and that various other changes andmodifications might be resorted to Without departing from the spirit andscope of myinvention', and hence I do not wish to be limited to theexact construction above set forth, but only to such points as may beset forth in theclaims.

40' Iclaim:-

1; An explosive device of the projectile type comprising a shell solidat the head end and having a bore extending thereinto from the rear end,a fuse extending substantially throughout the length of the bore andfrom the'rear end-of the shell, charges of anexphsivc and of shotalternately arranged in said bore, and means toclose the end of the boreand leave an end of the fuse exposed.

2. An explosive device comprising a casing from the shell.

ing having a pluralit of bores disposed lon 'tudinall '.1n para lelalinement, spark lea s provi ed at spaced apart points throughout thelength of said bores to estab lish communication between the severalbores, a fuse extended throughout the length of one of said bores,explosive charges mounted in said bores at points corresponding to thelocation of .the spark leads, and shot charges mounted in alternatearrange ment with said explosive charges.

3. An-explosive device comprising a casing having a central bore, aplurality of bores arranged in concentric positioning around the centralbore, spark leads from central bore to the concentrically arranged boresformed at spaced a art points throughout the lengths of the ores, a fusemounted. in the central bore to extend throughout the length thereof, aplurality of explosive charges mounted in the bores in line with thespark leads, shot charges mounted in alternate arrangement With theexplosive charges, and means to close the open ends of the bores and toleave the fuse end projecting from the shell.

4. An explosive device of the projectile type comprising a casing havinga solid head with a central bore at the rear end and a plurality ofbores grouped concentrically around the central bore, spark leads fromthe central bore to the concentrically arranged bores formed at spacedpoints throughout the lengths of said bores, a fuse mounted in thecentral here to extend throughout the length thereof, alternatelyarranged shot and explosive charges loaded into the several bores insuch. a relation that the explosive charges are in line with the sparkleads, means to close the ends of the concentrically arranged bores, andmeans to close the open'end of the central bore and leave the fuse endproject- In testii'nony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS S. MILLER.

